Schiphol Airport would like to excuse itself from the hop-on, hop-off jet-setting culture of business tycoons, celebrities and sports stars. The effort, if it succeeds over industry opposition, could set a precedent for private aviation around the world.
The Netherlands's largest airport made its intentions known in April, when it announced plans to ban night flights and private jets starting in 2026. The declaration came five months after climate activists stormed Schiphol's runway to protest carbon emissions from air travel, and followed years of noise complaints from locals. "I realize that our choices may have significant implications for the aviation industry, but they are necessary," Ruud Sondag, interim chief executive officer of Royal Schiphol Group, said in a statement. "This shows we mean business."